Decorating Christmas Trees With Style

 Decorating Christmas Trees With Style

By Enid Edginton

Does your christmas tree look too old fashioned? When it comes to decorating christmas trees there are some style tips to follow so that they look more up-to-date and stylish.

Decorating Christmas Trees STYLE TIP  1:

The big fat round artificial christmas tree is out and the slim artificial tree is in. This is because when it comes to decorating christmas tree the trends lately lean more towards tall and conical shapes rather than fat and round shapes.
This style is more reminiscent of the modernist trends from the seventies and strangely, the tall conical trees that were in favor during the Victorian era. It was Queen Victoria who insisted on the tallest tree possible for her living room and the narrow tree girth was also necessary in order to fit these tall slender trees into Victorian homes. The same could be said of modern day "cozy" condo lofts and apartments which often have tall ceiling heights but less floor space and suit a slim artificial christmas tree much better than a chubbier version.
Natural trees that tend to be tall and slim are the spruces and firs. They just have a slimmer girth than pines and cedars. When it comes to fake xmas trees, more and more manufacturers are releasing slim artificial trees that can fit more easily into our cramped urban lifestyle.

Decorating Christmas Trees STYLE TIP  2:

Artificial is in and natural trees are out. Okay, so maybe real christmas trees will never go out of fashion but if you are a bit of style snob then the trend is towards an artificial tree in the wildest color you can find. Basically the idea is to find a tree that looks like it would go well in Lieutenant O'Hura's bedroom on Star Trek.
Every year, artificial trees are looking more and more cartoonish. You can buy them in a spectrum of colors and in many different materials including PVC, vinyl and tinsel. The slim artificial trees in wild colors are very popular with younger people. Some sites sell xmas trees that are nothing more than a coiled spiral of yellow pink and blue lights that are free standing and merely emulate the shape of a christmas tree.
Probably the two most trendy colors for trees are the red and white. The red trees have an offbeat look to them that is reminiscent of a bad Kodachrome photograph from the seventies. However that is part of their appeal. The white artificial trees are just simply gorgeous, especially the prelit artificial trees with branches that have glowing fiber optic tips.

Decorating Christmas Trees STYLE TIP  3:

One of the secrets to decorating christmas trees in a stylish way is to be minimalist. To be truly fashionable, stick to decorating the tree in just one or two colors. For instance you could decorate a natural evergreen with only gold bows and natural crystals. A white christmas tree looks great with uniformly sized christmas balls from top to bottom. A sky blue artificial tree could be decorated in monochrome with glass balls that are a deeper shade of blue.
The minimalist approach also goes for the style of decorations that you choose. Stick to one or two shapes to keep the look of the tree uncluttered and sleek. For instance, forget the round glass balls and choose conical glass balls and flat spheres only to decorate an entire tree. By the way the craze for slim artificial xmas trees is similar to the current craze for slim conical christmas decorations. Conical decorations are very much identified with retro seventies styles.

Decorating Christmas Trees STYLE TIP  4:

One of the first rules of fashion and also interior decorating is to break all the rules and the same applies to Christmas trees. This means deliberately ignoring christmas traditions with the idea of putting a new spin on them. For instance instead of using the classic angel or star as a tree topper you could try topping it with a spray of fibrous waving multicolored diodes or a design that you have constructed using christmas rope lights. One interesting idea is to make a star out of red velvet and decorate it with peacock feathers, faux gems and gold bows.
Another way to break a traditional rule is to decorate your tree with just one color. To be different you could also forget about putting largest decorations at the bottom and the tiny ones at the top, put the large ones on the top and the tiny ones on the bottom. Another idea is to make all of your christmas tree decorations the same size.
One big trend that has dominated Christmas style and design for the last few years is to hang your Christmas tree anyway you can think of, as long as it is not standing up. This includes hanging it upside down from the ceiling, suspending it sideways from the ceiling and buttressing it against a wall.

Decorating Christmas Trees STYLE TIP  5:

One of the secrets to decorating christmas trees is that the more personal it is the better. A good example is the chef who decorates his tree using only plastic forks and knives or the new mom who decorates her tree with baby bottles and baby toys. If you celebrate the Chinese New Year you might want to decorate your tree with Buddha figures and fortune cookies.
Another great way to personalize your christmas tree is to use baked goods. Tree ornaments made of pink and yellow gumdrops and toothpicks look nice on an artificial white christmas tree for example. Home made gingerbread men and short bread snowmen would go well with a red artificial prelit christmas tree.
One place to get inspiration is the candy store. Choose your favorite candies that you loved as a kid. A smaller tree looks fantastic decorated in candies wrapped in foil. However once again the key is to be minimalist. Don't decorate the tree with seven or eight kinds of candy. Decorate it with two to three kinds to give it a kind of uniformity.
If you haven't figured it out by now one of the keys to decorating christmas trees is repetition on a single theme. If you like teddy bears than decorate the entire tree in teddy bears and one other design element, such as red glass balls. Keeping it simple yet elegant is the key to decorating christmas trees.

For more information on Christmas trees, visit http://www.o-christmas-tree.com - a year-round resource for all your christmas tree and decoration needs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Enid_Edginton


Decorating Christmas Trees With Style. 

Decorating Christmas Trees With Style

--Posted by - my-christmas2013 -

- my-christmas2013 - Updated at: 9:31 PM

Christmas Tree Selection Tips

Christmas Tree Selection Tips

While artificial Christmas trees possess a certain convenience, many people like to have the crisp fragrance and ambiance of a fresh Christmas tree in their homes at Christmas time. Selecting the right type of fresh tree is important because Christmas trees are often a focal point for many family activities and traditions. Given the many types of natural Christmas trees available it's important to consider how the tree will be used and qualities the tree should have so that it will be suitable for your need and also last through the season.

Real Christmas trees can often be bought from retail chain stores but the best place to get a real and fresh tree is likely to be from a Christmas tree farm. Buying a tree from a farm is the best option because a farm will be more likely to offer more species of trees and therefore a wider variety of shapes and sizes. Another reason is that after you've made your selection you will observe the tree being cut and can take steps to preserve its freshness.

Christmas trees, like other trees, have different shapes and qualities. The most favorite Christmas trees basically have a pyramid or cone shape that make them more popular than others. These include the Douglas, Fraser, Noble and Balsam firs, and the Scotch, Virginia and white pine trees. These evergreen trees all have one or more excellent features related to shape, color or sheen and fragrance, which makes them favorites to be used for Christmas trees and consequently are bestsellers.

A pyramid-shaped Christmas tree is most likely to be taller and has somewhat of a more elegant look. The Douglas fir, which ranks high up among Christmas tree favorites, is an example of a pyramid-shaped tree. Other examples of pyramid-shaped trees are Fraser, Balsam and Noble firs.

A cone-shaped Christmas tree tends to be shorter with dense branches, which makes them excellent for holding many ornaments and other decorations. The Virginia Pine, the Scotch Pine, Norway Spruce and the Eastern White Pine all have cone shapes. While not as elegantly shaped as their fir relatives, their characteristics are decidedly utilitarian. Families that have a strong tradition of making their own ornaments, or putting lots of mementos on their trees would want to consider selecting a cone-shaped tree.

Another feature that makes Christmas trees appealing is their color. At first glance all Christmas trees have a green appearance, but a closer look at their needles will reveal differences such as a bright or dark-green, blue-green or yellowish-green hue. The needles may also emit a silvery sheen with the right lighting. Fraser and Noble firs both have needles with a silvery sheen. You will find the branches of Fraser and Noble fir trees used for garlands and wreaths.

Most people choose a fresh Christmas tree for its fragrance, which can be fairly strong or just subtle, giving off just enough of a whiff of scent. Douglas fir, which is one of the most popular trees used in homes and public places, is a very fragrant tree. The Balsam fir is also fairly fragrant. If you like the ambiance of a fresh Christmas tree but consider the scent of pine indoors a bit overpowering, the Eastern White Pine may be your best selection since this tree doesn't have much fragrance.

If getting your tree from a Christmas tree farm is not an option for you, look carefully as you select from pre-cut trees. For those trees that are located on retail or other commercial lots, freshness can be determined by looking at the conditions in which the trees are kept. Observe whether the trees are kept in stands that hold water, if the trees are protected from the wind and sun, and if baled trees are tied down correctly.

To determine the freshness of a tree, observe whether it looks green and healthy, has a fragrant scent and has needles that are moist and flexible. If the needles appear dry or show browning, then that is a sign the tree will be a poor selection. If a large amount of green needles fall when branches of the tree are shaken, that's also a sign that the tree isn't the best one to buy to last for the entire season. The needles of the trees should break crisply when they are bent. If a tree needle is bent and doesn't break readily with pressure, it might mean that the tree isn't absorbing water and that will affect its longevity.

Whether you buy from a Christmas tree farm or from a retailer's lot a critical quality to consider in selecting the right tree is its size. Before buying a tree, it's important to decide where it will be placed in your home so that the space can be measured. You will need to do a floor to ceiling measurement and then subtract at least 10-12 inches to get the maximum height of the Christmas tree you are to select. It is recommended that at least 10-12 inches of space should be between the top of the Christmas tree and the ceiling. This height issue works both ways. If you have a high ceiling a very short tree may be dwarfed by other furniture in the room. It's therefore very important to carefully consider and select a tree that has a suitable height for the area where you plan to position your tree. Don't forget to measure for the width of the tree as well.

In conclusion, along with freshness and size, a tree should be selected based on the shape that you like, the smell of the needles and bark and on how dense and sturdy the branches need to be. For the density and sturdiness of the tree you select, you need to have an idea how the tree will be decorated - how many heavy ornaments, Christmas lights or bows will be used. For example, a cone-shaped pine tree that has sturdy branches will be better for holding heavy ornaments and a pyramid-shaped fir tree is good for trees that have light-weight decorations such as bows and a string of Christmas lights.

Whether you have a favorite type of Christmas tree that you select every time or if you just select a different one based on appearance and or fragrance, there are many choices to satisfy your desire to have a natural well-decorated tree in your home for Christmas.


Christmas Tree Selection Tips .

Christmas Tree Selection Tips

--Posted by - my-christmas2013 -

- my-christmas2013 - Updated at: 9:48 PM

History of Christmas Trees

 History of Christmas Trees

The history of christmas trees did not begin in America, England or even Germany. In fact America was one of the last continents to catch on to the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree. The history of christmas trees begins long before the birth of Christ and even before the Egyptian civilizations.

Many historians and anthropologists agree that the history of christmas trees begins in post-primeval times, just as agricultural societies were developing across the globe. Christmas did not exist. It was simply, in one culture or another, a pagan celebration of the winter solstice. The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year which usually occurs on the 22nd or 23rd of December. The boughs of evergreen trees were brought indoors to protect inhabitants from the evil spirits that could cause starvation and illness.

Ancient peoples also scattered evergreen boughs over their floors, doors and around the windows. In fact, the tradition of hanging an evergreen garland comes from the tradition of hanging evergreens over the mantelpiece to keep witches, ghosts and spirits from traveling down the chimney and into the house.
Evergreen boughs were also used to keep away illness. Scents such as pine, juniper and balsam are still used by aromatherapists today to fend off illness and winter depression.

Even the ancient Egyptians were thought to play a role in the history of christmas trees. Of course there were no evergreen forests in ancient Egypt but during the solstice they filled their homes with palm rushes to protect themselves from evil and celebrate the return of their Sun God Ra.

Christmas Trees

European and Mediterranean cultures also have episodes in the long saga that is part of the history of christmas trees. On the solstice, known as Saturnalia, the Romans decorated their homes with evergreen boughs. This honored the God Saturn whose domain was agriculture. Further north, the Celtic Druids used evergreens on the darkest day of the year to symbolize eternal life. These trees were not decorated as we know them today. They were not much more decorative than the famous Charlie brown christmas tree. This is because the function of these evergreen boughs was more protective than celebratory.

By the 12th century indoor trees were brought inside. Nobody is sure why but originally Christmas trees were hung upside-down from ceilings at Christmastime. This was a popular custom in Central Europe. The upside down tree was seen as both as a symbol of Christianity and a pagan symbol. At that point Christianity was not wide spread and the tree may have been a nod to both pagan and Christian traditions.

It is widely believed that the history of the Christmas tree as we know it began in Germany in the sixteenth century. However few people realize that the tree was not brought inside and that in fact, the first decorated christmas tree was a pyramid made of wood. These German indoor pyramids were decorated with boughs and candles. Often jars of pickles were set on the steps. The pyramid shape was not a direct inspiration from ancient Egypt but rather, the triangular shape was thought to represent the three points of the Holy Trinity - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The person credited with adding lighted candles to a real tree is Martin Luther - a German Protestant reformer who lived in the mid 1600s. The legend is that he was inspired to do so by the sight of stars in the night sky peeking through the limbs of an evergreen while he was on a walk.

The next big development in the history of christmas trees was tinsel. Tinsel was invented in Germany around 1610. At that time, tinsel was made of real silver and it tarnished easily thanks to the smoke from the christmas tree candles. Silver was used for tinsel right up to the mid-20th century when it was replaced by aluminum.

The history of christmas trees was non-existent in America until about the 1840s. They were sometimes displayed as curios in traveling sideshows. The christmas tree decorating ritual was considered sacrilegious for most of the 17th and 18th century. It was seen as a mockery of the sober celebration of the birth of Christ. In fact in 1659, people were fined for hanging decorations.

This law continued until the 19th century when the tradition was brought more into common practice by German and Irish immigrants to the United States. The practice was also made more acceptable when Queen Victoria decided to make a right side up floor-to-ceiling xmas tree part of her décor in 1846.
One difference between European customs and American customs seemed to be that Europeans were more inclined to decorate their trees with food, cookies and candies (and even pickles!) whereas Americans were more into glitzy decorations. Also the European christmas trees tended to be shorter (three to four feet in height) while the Americans preferred their trees to be sky-high. Both cultures however enjoyed decorating their trees with garlands of popcorns and electric lights.

In the 1950s America saw the advent of the first artificial christmas trees. This event was celebrated by Charles M. Schulz famous fable about the Charlie brown Christmas tree. In this fable Charlie Brown is told by Linus, Lucy and Shroeder to go out and find the biggest flashiest aluminum tree to use as a decoration for their Christmas play. Instead Brown falls in love with the most pathetic tree ever and finds the true meaning of Christmas. You can buy a replica of this type of tree which is often called the "pathetic charlie brown christmas tree" online. True to the original cartoon, the tree boasts just one red Christmas ball ornament on a single bare limb.

The argument about which is better - a fake christmas tree or a real christmas tree still rages on today. The most recent development in the history of Christmas trees is the return of the upside down christmas tree, which is disapproved by the church just as it was in the sixteenth century. If history keeps repeating itself the next trend we will see in xmas trees is the ancient wooden pyramids that served as artificial trees in pagan times.


History of Christmas Trees.

History of Christmas Trees

--Posted by - my-christmas2013 -

- my-christmas2013 - Updated at: 7:34 PM